Tuesday 9 April 2013 09.55 EDT
First published on Tuesday 9 April 2013 09.55 EDT

This is Manchester United's age of the evolving midfield general. As memories of Roy Keane punching holes through the opposition join Bryan Robson in sepia, fans of the champions-elect wonder who will be recruited next in Sir Alex Ferguson's continuing refinement of the role.

String-puller, pivot, holding operator, veteran, creative artist, spoiler and box-to-box dynamo: the type required to boss this key area is the big question for Ferguson as United's campaign ends in a title procession and planning starts for 2013-14.

At the start of the season many United followers looked at the central midfield department and felt concern. A potentially fatal lack of depth was the charge. Michael Carrick apart, this group was either yet to convince (Tom Cleverley and Anderson), had questionable fitness (Darren Fletcher), or were too creaky (Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes) to allow United to prosper in the two-pronged assault on domestic and European soil.

Fast forward to the second week of April and with seven games left Ferguson's band are 12 points clear of Manchester City and a 20th championship is all but secured. Yet United were eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage by Real Madrid, started last week by being knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea and on Monday evening went down 2-1 to City at Old Trafford, with the 39-year-old Giggs toiling at the heart of the midfield.

The reverse to Madrid hinged on Nani's sending off in the second leg so United count themselves hard done by then. But the defeats at Stamford Bridge and to the champions in particular opened up the old debate about midfield and the particular kind of operator needed.

At 31, Carrick has been indefatigable as Ferguson's go-to man. So far there have been 40 appearances and he has missed only one league match. A strong argument runs that if Carrick had gone down early on with a serious injury United's quest to dethrone City would have faltered.

In August, Carrick did not appear an obvious leader of United's midfield pack. His emergence as the technically astute, chief string-puller of the side embodies the style progression under Ferguson. The problems come when there is a need for a change of mode, a differing kind of midfield general. In September's 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, Mousa Dembélé offered an illustration of one type: the driving, surging player who rips through sides to turn games.

There are other varieties Ferguson could recruit to add dimension. And with Giggs now used sparingly, Scholes probably heading for retirement, Fletcher's colitis posing a question mark over his future and Anderson a favourite for the summer exit door, Ferguson may have to consider up to three new additions for the position in the close season.

Here are some options:

1. Midfield general

Ideal: Bastian Schweinsteiger

Realistic: Daniele De Rossi

These have become the rarest of breeds and United may have missed a trick when they got wind that Yaya Touré's contract dispute with City was dragging. The Ivorian finally signed for another four years with the Blues last week but Ferguson might have considered a raid to land Touré's box-to-box style of tackles, runs and goals that also comes with leadership to make him the closest to Robson or Keane operating in the Premier League. At 28, Schweinsteiger has 98 Germany caps, 23 goals and more than 300 appearances for Bayern Munich where he is the vice-captain, and his contract is up in summer 2014. Another potential candidate would be Roma's De Rossi, whom City tried and failed to sign last summer.

2. Creative type

Ideal: Luka Modric

Realistic: Luka Modric

Shinji Kagawa was bought to fill this situation vacant in Ferguson's squad and, though the manager is clear the Japanese will be better next term, he must be tempted by Modric. José Mourinho appears likely to leave Real Madrid, with Modric wondering about his own future having failed to be a regular starter under the man who brought him to Spain last summer. Ferguson is a known admirer of the Croatian so Modric will receive serious thought, as might Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye and, possibly, also Barcelona's 21-year old Thiago Alcântara.

3. Pivot

Ideal: Sergio Busquets

Realistic: Sandro

If Ferguson fancies another in the Carrick mould, the Barcelona midfielder is the model of a player who can spy the pass between the lines and start attacks himself – at only 24 he has won three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship. But contracted until 2015 and with a £150m buy-out clause he is not an option, so Ferguson may care to consider Tottenham's Sandro, the Brazilian who has made 22 league starts this season.

4. Wise hand (yet younger than Giggs)

Ideal: Frank Lampard

Realistic: Frank Lampard

Ferguson has form for bringing in experience – think Laurent Blanc and Henrik Larsson – so as Giggs approaches his 40th birthday the Scot may look at Lampard's contract expiring this summer and his glut of impressive figures – 19 goals in 45 appearances this season, 200 career Chelsea goals – and think with him turning "only" 35 in June the midfielder represents a heck of a bargain. An alternative would be Tottenham's Scott Parker, who has two years remaining on his deal and turns 33 in the autumn.

5. The spoiler

Ideal: Javier Mascherano

Realistic: Victor Wanyama

Perhaps Ferguson will decide he needs more of a bruiser in the engine room to complement Carrick's more cultured qualities. Mascherano excelled in the Premier League during periods at West Ham and Liverpool and, currently deployed (mostly) as a central defender at Barcelona despite standing at 5ft 9in, his "stopping" skills are honed. Celtic's Wanyama and Newcastle's Cheik Tioté are other players who can bite into a tackle.